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Top performing Formula One Cars of 2010

The 2010 Formula One season is the 61st Formula One season. The newly introduced technical and sporting regulations applicable for this season have been the subject of much debate. The reigning Driver's Champion, Jenson Button, has joined McLaren, and the reigning Constructor's Champions, Brawn GP, have been bought by Mercedes-Benz and renamed Mercedes GP. The season also saw the return of the most successful Formula One driver Michael Schumacher coming out of retirement after a three-year absence. The season's first race was held on March 14 in Bahrain. We have already seen the top Formula Cars of the previous season. Now, here's a list of the top performing F1 cars of 2010.

Red Bull RB6

The Red Bull RB6 weighs 620 kg and has a Renault RS27-2010 2400 cc 90° V8 engine. Driven by Sebastian Vettel during qualifying for the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix, it set the fastest times in Q2 and Q3 clinching pole by just over a tenth of second from Ferrari's Felipe Massa. The Red Bull RB6 has been designed and built by Adrian Newey for Red Bull Racing's 2010 campaign. Vettel, who makes it a habit to give his racing cars names, named his RB6 "Luscious Liz". However, after unspecified minor damage was found on this chassis after the Monaco Grand Prix, the team gave Vettel a new chassis, which he then named "Randy Mandy."

McLaren MP4-25

This car will be driven by two World Champions from 2008 and 2009, namely Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, respectively. It has a naturally-aspirated Mercedes-Benz FO 108X 2400 cc V8 90° engine. The legality of the MP4-25's rear wing had been a matter of concern. A small "snorkel" air scoop in front of the driver allows air through a duct in the cockpit and towards the rear of the car. Changes in the pressure in the duct, in combination with small slots on the rear wing, cause the wing to enter a stalled state at high speed allowing the car as much as an extra 9.7 km/h on straights. The effect is controlled by the driver covering up a small hole in the cockpit with his left leg - this is not considered by the FIA to be a moveable aerodynamic device, which would be banned under the technical regulations. The car was, however, inspected and cleared to take part in the race.

Ferrari F10

Finally, the # 1 car in our list is the Ferrari F10. It was unveiled in Maranello, Italy on 28 January 2010. The F10 has a naturally-aspirated Ferrari Type 056 2400 cc V8 90° engine and will be driven by Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso. Fernando Alonso had commented that this car was the best he had ever driven and that its true pace was being hidden from its rivals.

Renault R30

This Renault RS27-2010 2400 cc 90° V8 car will be driven by Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov in the 2010 season. It was unveiled at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia on January 31, 2010. The Renault R30 flaunts a moulded carbon fibre and aluminium honeycomb composite monocoque with the engine incorporated as a fully-stressed member. The engine has been mated with a seven-speed semi-automatic titanium gearbox with reverse gear "Quickshift" system.

Mercedes W01

The Mercedes MGP W01 racing car has been designed and built by the Mercedes GP Petronas team for the 2010 season and is driven by returning seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. The car was revealed at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo near Valencia at the first official test of the year on February 1, 2010. The team's silver livery was officially unveiled at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart on January 25, 2010 on the chassis of a Brawn BGP 001 following Mercedes' purchase of the championship-winning team of 2009. The Mercedes W01 boasts the incredible Mercedes-Benz FO 108X 2400 cc 90° V8 motor.

Force India VJM03

The VJM03 designed and built by the Force India team for the 2010 season, driven by Adrian Sutil and Vitantonio Liuzzi was unveiled online on 9 February 2010. The car made its track debut the following day at the second group test at Circuito de Jerez. In Bahrain, Sutil and Liuzzi qualified 10th and 12th respectively. Liuzzi finished ninth, scoring two points, while Sutil spun in an oil leak caused by Mark Webber in the Red Bull before finishing outside the points, in twelfth position. The car has been named after Force India F1's owners Dr. Vijay Mallya, Jan Mol and Michiel Mol.

Williams FW32

The Williams FW32 is powered by Formula One's brand-new entry-level Cosworth CA2010 2400 cc 90° V8 engine and comes in at number 6 in our list. The car is raced by Rubens Barrichello and reigning GP2 Series champion Nico Hulkenberg. It was first driven in shakedown tests at Silverstone on January 28, 2010 before it was officially unveiled at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo near Valencia, Spain at the first official test on February 1, 2010. After Hulkenberg completed the shakedown at Silverstone, Barrichello was given the first day's running at the test, completing 75 laps.

Toro Rosso STR5

The Toro Rosso STR5 designed and built by Scuderia Toro Rosso for the 2010 season seems to be quite important for the team as it is the first chassis ever to be designed and built on their own. Prior to 2010, the car was identical to that of parent team Red Bull Racing. The car, to be driven by an unchanged line-up from 2009 of Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari, was unveiled at the first official test of 2010 on February 1, at the Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia.

BMW Sauber C29

Driven by Pedro de la Rosa from Spain and Kamui Kobayashi from Japan, this car comes in at number 3. It has a Ferrari Type 056 2400 cc 90° V8 engine and a carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque chassis. The new regulations banning re-fuelling during the race and stipulating a reduced width for the front tires resulted in a few significant changes in the C29's design. The increased size of the fuel tank made the car longer. The extremely long undercut at the transition from the chassis to the under body happens to be a distinctive feature of the C29. These and other aerodynamic measures also help to ensure optimum airflow to the double diffuser at the rear while further changes were required to integrate the Ferrari engine and, in particular, the Ferrari quick shift seven speed gearbox.

Lotus T127

This carbon-fiber and honeycomb composite monocoque chassis car has been designed by the Lotus racing team for the 2010 F1 season. To be driven by Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen, the car was unveiled in London on 12 February 2010. The car made its track debut in the hands of test driver Fairuz Fauzy on 17 February 2010 at Circuito de Jerez. The Lotus T127 has been strapped with a Cosworth CA2010 2400 cc 90° V8 motor.

Virgin VR-01

With a carbon-fibre construction monocoque and nosebox, and carbon-fibre wishbones with titanium flexure joints, aluminium alloy uprights, Penske dampers the Virgin VR-01 will be driven by Brazilian GP2 driver Lucas di Grassi and Timo Glock, a former Toyota Racing driver. The Formula One motor racing car was designed by Nick Wirth. It has a Cosworth CA2010 2400 cc 90° V8 engine and is the first Formula One car ever to be designed entirely by computational fluid dynamics.

HRT F1

Driven by Bruno Senna and Karun Chandhok during the 2010 F1 season, the HRT F1's Dallara-designed Hispania F110 chassis has a dark grey livery and some white and red details. Bruno Senna completed 17 laps of the 2010 Bahrain Grand Prix in the HRT F1 before his engine overheated. Hispania Racing, HRT F1 Team drivers achieved their best qualifying result of the season. However, the team went out of luck at the Hockenheim circuit. Bruno Senna finished the 67 laps in Hockenheim in position 19 after showing a good performance and achieving another race finish for the Spanish team.